Apparatus for laying roofing materials on a sloping roof

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an apparatus comprising a plurality of elongated load supporting members adapted to be supported in a spaced-apart relationship to a sloping roof, a hook means attached to the elongated load supporting members being adapted to extend over the gable of the sloping roof and contact the opposite sloping roof, a load supporting carriage riding on each of the elongated load supporting members and containing a means to incrementally advance the load supporting carriages on the elongated load supporting members and an additional elongated load supporting member having one portion of the member residing on one load supporting carriage and another portion of the load supporting member residing on another load supporting carriage. The apparatus, when used according to the method of this invention, provides a safe and economical method for laying roofing materials on a sloping roof.

[451 Oct. 22, 1974 APPARATUS FOR LAYING ROOFING MATERIALS ON A SLOPING ROOF [76] Inventor: Billy'G. Bartlett, 310 Maple St., Big

' Stone Gap, Va. 24219 22 Filed: Apr. 19, 1973 21 Appl.No.:352,456

Primary Examiner-Frank L. Abbott Assistant Examiner-James L. Ridgill, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Elliott Stern 55 ABSTRACT Disclosed is an apparatus comprising a plurality of elongated load supporting members adapted to be supported in a spaced-apart relationship to a sloping roof, a hook means attached to the elongated load supporting members being adapted to extend over the gable of the sloping roof and contact the opposite sloping roof, a load supporting carriage riding on each of the elongated load supporting members and containing a means to incrementally advance the load supporting carriages on the elongated load supporting members and an additional elongated load supporting member having one portion of the member residing on one load supporting carriage and another portion of the load supporting member residing on another load supporting carriage. The apparatus, when used according to the method of this invention, provides a safe and economical method for laying roofing materials on a sloping roof.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR LAYING ROOFING MATERIALS ON A SLOPING ROOF This invention relates to a method and apparatus for laying roofing material on a sloping roof. More particu larly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for laying roofing material such as shingles, roll roofing, etc. on steep and/or high roofs.

l-leretofo're, conventional methods of laying roofing materials on steep and/or high roofs have been'dangerous, time consuming and difficult. For example, a roofer working on a high steep roof will, generally, lay the roofing materials while being supported on a footboard such as a 2 X 4 inch stock which has been anchored directly to the roof. The area which the roofer can safely cover is, therfore, limited to the distance he can safely-reach. After the roofer has laid the roofing material in a given area, it is necessary to repeat the procedure'in another location. This is accomplished by securing another footboard at a higher position and working from there. Because of the danger involved in working under such conditions, some roofers take the added precaution of tying a light rope loosely about the waist or underarms. The free end of the rope is thrown over the ridge'of the roof and tied securely to a tree or some other solid anchorage on the opposite side of the building. The purpose of this precaution is to save the roofer from serious injury should he slip off the narrow footboard or if the footboard itself, which is usually nailed to the roof, lets go. This method of roofingis time consuming and dangerous. Another disadvantage of this procedure is that the roofers weight is distributed not only on. the footboard but also on the roofing materials. Because of this, as well'as the method employed to secure the footboards to the roof, there is the added disadvantage of the possibility of damaging the shingles.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide a method for safely laying roofing materials on a steep and/or high roof.

A further object of this invention is to provide an easily assembled and inexpensive apparatus for carrying out the above method.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the feature hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

Accordingly, in one aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of laying roofing material on a sloping roof which comprises the steps of A. establishing in the vicinity of a sloping roof a first elongated load supporting zone oriented parallel to the fall of the roof and spaced apart from the roof,

B. establishing a plurality of load support zones between the sloping roof and the first elongated load support zone so that a load on the first elongated load supporting zone is transferred into the sloping roof,

C. establishing in the vicinity of the sloping roof a second elongated load supporting zone oriented parallel to the fall of the roof and spaced apart from the first zone and the sloping roof,

D. establishing a plurality of load support zones between the sloping roof and the second elongated load supporting zone so that a load on the second load supporting zoneis transferred into the sloping roof,

E. establishing at an initial location a third elongated load supporting zone between the first and second load supporting zones and spaced apart from the roof so as to cause a load on the third load supporting zone to be transferred into the roof through the first and second load supporting zones, the third elongated load supporting zone being oriented perpendicular to the fall of the sloping roof,

F- applying roofing material to the portion of the sloping roof in the vicinity of the initial location of the third elongated load supporting zone,

G. incrementally advancing the third elongated load supporting zone so as to dispose the third elongated load supporting zone at a subsequent location of higher elevation than the initial location, and

H. applying roofing to the portion of the sloping roof in the vicinity of the subsequent location of the third elongated load supporting zone.

In a preferred embodiment of the method of this invention, the sloping roof will have greater than a onehalf pitch. In an especially preferred embodiment of this invention, the pitch .of the sloping roof will be greater than three-fourths. As used herein, the term pitch is defined as length of the rise divided by the length of the span.

The invention is further illustrated by the accompanying drawing in which the same numbers refer to corresponding parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing the apparatus of the invention being used in roofing a house. FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a portion of the apparatus of the invention showing the lower end of one of the elongated load supporting members, the load supporting carriage and a slidable support means.

FIG. 3 is a plan view and partial section of the base of the slidable support means illustrating a manner in which the support may be temporarily secured to the roof.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an apparatus of this invention comprising a plurality of elongated load supporting members 1. These load supporting members may be conveniently constructed of a lightweight structural metal such as aluminum. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, two load supporting members are utilized, although three or more could be used. The cross-section of each of the elongated load supporting members comprises (1) a first rectangular section having a substantially greater width than height, the axis of the longer dimension of the first rectangular section being oriented parallel to the plane wherein the first and second load supporting members reside, and (2) a second rectangular section having a substantially greater height than width, the second rectangular section being attached to the first rectangular section at the center of the longer dimension side of the first rectangular section so as to orient the axis of the longer dimension of the second rectangular section perpendicular to the axis of the longer dimension of the first rect angular section; thereby forming a tee cross-section 3.

The length of the elongated load supporting member may vary although a range of 4 to 16 feet can be used. Furthermore, these supports may be constructed in short segments which could be secured together to form a desired length depending on the length of the roof. The elongated load supporting members are in turn adapted to be supported on the roof 5 by a plurality of slidable support means 7 which are adapted to support the elongated load supporting members in a spaced-apart relationship to the sloping roof. The elongated load supporting members should be positioned above the roof from about 3 to about 8 inches and preferably about 5 inches. This spaced-apart relationship between the roof and the elongated load supporting members enables a roofer to lay roofing materials, such as shingles l1 and roll roofing 13, under the apparatus without having to relocate it on the roof. The slidable support means are adapted to be slid along the elongated load supporting members and locked in a desired location on the elongated load supporting members by a locking means 9, such as a clamp. The spaced-apart relationship between the elongated load supporting members and the sloping roof may be accomplished by providing the slidable support means 7 with a base or bottom plate 35 which is positioned underneath and apart from the upper portion of the slidable support means by a plurality of spacers 41.

A hook means is hingably and removably attached to the upper end of each of the elongated load supporting members, the hook means being adapted to extend over the gable or ridge of the sloping roof and contact the opposite roof so as to restrain the elongated load supporting members from sliding down the sloping roof when placed thereon. The hook supporting means is preferably adapted to contact the opposite sloping roof by means of a universally depending pressure distributing plate which rests against the opposite roof which may optionally be secured to the rafters of the opposite roof with nails or the like. The hook means may be further adapted to adjust to reside on various pitches of roof.

A load supporting carriage 17 is adapted to ride on each of the elongated load supporting members. In one embodiment of the invention, the load supporting carriages each comprise a member having therein a channel having a cross-section corresponding in size and shape to the second rectangular section of the elongated load supporting members so as to allow the carriage to be disposed over the second rectangular section and to allow the second rectangular section to reside within the channel, the carriage further comprising a plurality of wheels 19 adapted to allow the carriage to roll along the top of the first rectangular section.

A means is provided to incrementally advance the load supporting carriages along the elongated load supporting members. In one embodiment of the invention, the load supporting carriages can be conveniently incrementally advanced by means of a conventional ratchet jack mechanism, such as the type commonly used in vehicle bumper jacks (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,269) which is housed in the load supporting carriage. The means to advance to load sup porting carriage may be accomplished by constructing the tops of the second rectangular sections of the crosssections as a rack 21, and the means to advance the load supporting carriages comprises in combination a jacking member 23 and a restraining member 25, the

jacking member being pivotally attached to the carriage and arranged so as to engage a tooth of the rack and advance or move back the carriage when rotated from a rest position A to a carriage advance or back position B, the restraining member 25 being arranged so as to engage a tooth of the rack and restrain the carriage in the advanced or moved-back position. Additionally, a lock means 27 may be provided to maintain the carriage in a locked position for added safety.

The load supporting carriages are adapted to support a third elongated load supporting member 29 by means of a support such as a clamp or bracket 31 whereby the third elongated load supporting member has a portion of the member residing on one load supporting carriage and another portion of the load supporting member on the other load supporting carriage. The third load supporting member may be a 2 X 10 inch stock or any other material which is reasonably lightweight and capable of supporting the weight of the roofer. Optionally, if more than two elongated load supporting members are utilized, the third load supporting member could be comprised of two or more sections, the inside ends of which could be accommodated by the inside load supporting carriages.

In FIG. 3, there is shown a plan view and partial section of a preferred embodiment of the base or bottom plate of the slidable support means illustrating a manner in which the support may be temporarily secured to the roof. The base or bottom plate 35 may be formed with a plurality of openings 39 which are adapted to accommodate a number of anchoring means 37, such as tin strips, which may be nailed to the roof, thereby giving added stability to the apparatus when placed on the roof.

In normal operation of the apparatus and method of this invention, the roofer will establish the apparatus on the roof at a desired location. The slidable support means will initially be located at a position above the eaves of the roof in order to lay a starter course just above the eaves. The starter course may be a row of inverted shingles on roll roofing, such as the type made of asbestos felt, 12 to 18 inches wide. This material may be nailed to the roof with 1 inch nails for new work or 1-36 inch for reroofing. The various procedures for laying roofing materials are, of course, well known in the art. Examples of such methods, as well as a listing of the various roofing materials which can be used are described in the Popular Mechanics Do-It- Yourself Encyclopedia, Volume 9, Chapter on Roofing, J. J. Little and Ives Co. Inc., New York, I957.

Once the starting course has been laid, the slidable support means is adjusted over the shingles that have been laid so that the top of the base or bottom plate 35 resides on the on the top of the highest shingle laid. A number of metal (tin) strips are then looped through the openings in the bottom plate of the slidable base support and nailed to the roof. The roofer will then mount the apparatus of the invention and lay additional roll roofing above the area just completed. The spacedapart relationship between the roof and the elongated load supporting members enables the roofer to easily slide the roll roofing under the apparatus and onto the roof. The roll roofing, as well as the shingles which are subsequently to be laid, will overlap the materials previously laid. The metal strips which secure the slidable support means to the roof will also be overlapped. After the roofing material has been laid at this level and the roofer is ready to proceed to lay materials-at a higher level, the third elongated load supporting member can be incrementally advanced by the means on the l v load supporting carriages, e.g., the third elongated load supporting member can be jacked up the roof. A further advantage of the arrangement provided by the apparatus of this invention is that, if desired, the roofer can safely rest by sitting on the third load supporting member. Prior methods of roofing steep roofs do not afford this respite due to the high pitch and lack of facilities where the roofer could sit. I

When the roofing materials have beenlaid up to a location just below the higher slidable support means, the roofer will slide the slidable support means so that the top of the base or bottom plate rests on the top of the roofing material previously laid. The base plate may then be secured to the roof by means of the metal strips looped through the opening and nailed to the roof. The remaining materials may be laid in a manner previously described. The metal. strips attaching the slidable support means tothe roof may then be cut with a sheet metal clipper or the like, thereby releasing the slidable support means from the roof with the nailed portion of the metal strips being covered by the roofing materials. The apparatus of the invention may then be incrementally advanced back down the roof and removed.

The invention has been described in detail with par ticular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus comprising A. a firstelongated load supporting member,

B. a plurality of slidable support means adapted to support the first elongated load supporting member in spaced-apart relationship to a sloping roof, the slidable support means being adapted to he slid along the first elongated load supporting member and locked in a desired location,

C. a first hook means hingably attached to an end of the first elongated load supporting member, the first hook means being adapted to extend over the gable of the sloping roof and contact the opposite sloping roof so as to restrain the first elongated load supporting member from sliding down the sloping roof when placed thereon,

D. a first load supporting carriage riding on the first elongated load supporting member,

E. a means to incrementally advance the first load supporting carriage along the first elongated load supporting member,

F. a second elongated load supporting member, the second elongated load supporting member being located in the same plane as the first elongated load supporting member, spaced apart from the first elongated load supporting member and oriented parallel to the first elongated load supporting member,

G. a plurality of slidable support means adapted to support the, second elongated load supporting member in spaced-apart relationshipto the sloping roof, the slidable support means being adapted to be slid along the second elongated load supporting member and locked in a desired location,

H. a second hook means hingably attached to an end of the second elongated load supporting member, the second hook means being adapted to extend over the gable of the sloping roof and contact the opposite sloping roof so as to restrain the second elongated load supporting member from sliding down the sloping roof when placed thereon,

l. a second load supporting carriage riding on the second elongated load supporting member,

J. a means to incrementally advance the'second load supporting carriage along the second elongated load supporting member,

K. a third elongated load supporting member having one portion of the member residing on one load supporting carriage and another portion of the load supporting member residing on the other load supporting carriage;

the cross-section of the first and second elongated load supported members comprising l. a first rectangular section having a substantially greater width than height, the axis of the longer dimension of the first rectangular section being oriented parallel to the plane wherein the first and second elongated load supporting members reside, and

2. a second rectangular section having a substantially rectangular section beingattached to the first rectangular section at the center of the longer dimension side of the first rectangular section so as to orient the axis of the longer dimension of the second rectangular section perpendicular to the axis of the longer dimension of the first rectangular section, thereby forming a tee cross-section;

the first and second load supporting carriages each comprising a member having therein a channel having a cross-section corresponding in size and shape to the second rectangular section so as to allow the carriage to be disposed over the second rectangular section and allow the second rectangular section to reside within the channel, the carriage further comprising a plurality of wheels adaptedto allow the'carriage to roll along the top of the first rectangular section;

the top of the second rectangular section of the crosssection being a rack; and

the means to advance the first and second carriages comprising in combination a jacking member and a restraining member, the jacking member being pivotally attached to the carriage and arranged so as to engage a tooth of the rack and advance the carriage when rotated from a rest position to a carriage advance position, the restraining member being arranged so as to engage a tooth of the rack and'restrain the carriage in the advanced position. 

1. Apparatus comprising A. a first elongated load supporting member, B. a plurality of slidable support means adapted to support the first elongated load supporting member in spaced-apart relationship to a sloping roof, the slidable support means being adapted to be slid along the first elongated load supporting member and locked in a desired location, C. a first hook means hingably attached to an end of the first elongated load supporting member, the first hook means being adapted to extend over the gable of the sloping roof and contact the opposite sloping roof so as to restrain the first elongated load supporting member from sliding down the sloping roof when placed thereon, D. a first load supporting carriage riding on the first elongated load supporting member, E. a means to incrementally advance the first load supporting carriage along the first elongated load supporting member, F. a second elongated load supporting member, the second elongated load supporting member being located in the same plane as the first elongated load supporting member, spaced apart from the first elongated load supporting member and oriented parallel to the first elongated load supporting member, G. a plurality of slidable support means adapted to support the second elongated load supporting member in spaced-apart relationship to the sloping roof, the slidable support means being adapted to be slid along the second elongated load supporting member and locked in a desired location, H. a second hook means hingably attached to an end of the second elongated load supporting member, the second hook means being adapted to extend over the gable of the sloping roof and contact the opposite sloping roof so as to restrain the second elongated load supporting member from sliding down the sloping roof when placed thereon, I. a second load supporting carriage riding on the second elongated load supporting member, J. a means to incrementally advance the second load supporting carriage along the second elongated load supporting member, K. a third elongated load supporting member having one portion of the member residing on one load supporting carriage and another portion of the load supporting member residing on the other load supporting carriage; the cross-section of the first and second elongated load supported members comprising
 1. a first rectangular section having a substantially greater width than height, the axis of the longer dimension of the first rectangular section being oriented parallel to the plane wherein the first and second elongated load supporting members reside, and
 2. a second rectangular section having a substantially rectangular section being attached to the first rectangular section at the center of the longer dimension side of the first rectangular section so as to orient the axis of the longer dimension of the second rectangular section perpendicular to the axis of the longer dimension of the first rectangular section, thereby forming a tee cross-section; the first and second loaD supporting carriages each comprising a member having therein a channel having a cross-section corresponding in size and shape to the second rectangular section so as to allow the carriage to be disposed over the second rectangular section and allow the second rectangular section to reside within the channel, the carriage further comprising a plurality of wheels adapted to allow the carriage to roll along the top of the first rectangular section; the top of the second rectangular section of the cross-section being a rack; and the means to advance the first and second carriages comprising in combination a jacking member and a restraining member, the jacking member being pivotally attached to the carriage and arranged so as to engage a tooth of the rack and advance the carriage when rotated from a rest position to a carriage advance position, the restraining member being arranged so as to engage a tooth of the rack and restrain the carriage in the advanced position.
 2. a second rectangular section having a substantially rectangular section being attached to the first rectangular section at the center of the longer dimension side of the first rectangular section so as to orient the axis of the longer dimension of the second rectangular section perpendicular to the axis of the longer dimension of the first rectangular section, thereby forming a tee cross-section; the first and second loaD supporting carriages each comprising a member having therein a channel having a cross-section corresponding in size and shape to the second rectangular section so as to allow the carriage to be disposed over the second rectangular section and allow the second rectangular section to reside within the channel, the carriage further comprising a plurality of wheels adapted to allow the carriage to roll along the top of the first rectangular section; the top of the second rectangular section of the cross-section being a rack; and the means to advance the first and second carriages comprising in combination a jacking member and a restraining member, the jacking member being pivotally attached to the carriage and arranged so as to engage a tooth of the rack and advance the carriage when rotated from a rest position to a carriage advance position, the restraining member being arranged so as to engage a tooth of the rack and restrain the carriage in the advanced position. 